The Iowa State Horticulture Club is selling poinsettias for its annual fundraiser this week.

The poinsettias are available for purchase from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday. The poinsettias are being sold Wednesday at Curtiss Hall, Thursday at Beardshear Hall, Friday at the Memorial Union and Saturday at Reiman Gardens.

“A variety of colors are available and prices range from smaller pots to larger pots,” said Grant Hughes, Horticulture Club senior CALS Council represenative and poinsettia sale committee member.

A Gold Rush 6.5-inch pot can be purchased for $8 and other varieties in the same pot sell for $12. A larger 10-inch pot is being sold for $32. Both cash and checks are accepted forms of payment.

Pre-orders were available before Nov. 23 and those orders are available for pickup at Horticulture Hall on all sale days from 5 to 7 p.m. The club made $7,000 in pre-sales this year.

The fundraiser is a large project for the club as they are responsible for growing and taking care of the plants as well as protecting them from possible disease and pests. Students also create spreadsheets and manage the money from the sale.

“One thing that we did that is really cool for our club is to develop a spreadsheet and a mass email,” said Amanda Vanscoy, poinsettia sale committee head. “When orders are placed, it syncs with the spreadsheet and takes from the totals to make the process more efficient and easier to track.”

The poinsettia sale process begins two weeks after school starts.

“We get tiny cuttings in and we plant them, staying pot tight until they start intertwining their leaves,” Vanscoy said.

Plants are pinched, spaced and irrigated, developing perfect colors and heights by Thanksgiving break.

The sale comes at the perfect time for students and faculty to purchase the poinsettias as gifts for family and friends and spread some holiday cheer.

“I really love to grow the plants and every year the poinsettia crop is different,” Vanscoy said. “My favorite part is all of it, there isn’t a part that I don’t like.”